In Hope '12:17'
by Wondering What Breakfast Is
Summary: She says things about her former life that break my heart. But for her, there is no despair, because she'll find him. The clock tower confirms it. KH/OHSHC crossover. Sora and Haruhi. mini pairing hints. R&R?


_**A/N: The title is going to make as much sense as a monkey dressed up as a phone. I swear, it was either that or "When We Return (Vase)". Both are shit, but that one's worse.**_

Another crossover, this one less amazingspectacular than the last. Seeing how some like the idea of Haruhi with a keyblade as much as I do, I decided that starting a series following the 'Understand' universe would be nice. This includes more members added to Sora's team, new worlds (Pocahontas and Death Note, anyone?), and Kyouya crashing a gummi ship spectacularly. Sure, he knows how to drive, but does he know how to REALLY drive?

Inspired by "Hollow Bastion" from the KH Original soundtrack.

Enjoy.  
**  
xoxo  
**  
I have no idea how she ended up here. Neither does she. All I know is that the two of us... We have to work together. In this sort of war, anyone can be your ally. Or your enemy. But I-- We. We chose to be optimistic, and to trust that neither was lying.

She said she came from a city, one I've seen too. One of the most populated I've ever been in, so I'm sure I passed her while we were there. She said she'd seen me before, and I don't doubt that. I talk to everyone, and I'm fairly hard to miss, in any case.

I remember the reason we went to her city in the first place. We received a tip from a man in a black cloak. He said that he didn't meddle with the affairs of Nobodies and Heartless, but that the Organization recruited him, since he had a strong heart that would be to their advantage. A human walking among both realms... We had seen it once before.

His name was Umehito. She knew him too. Royalty sent to live in exile for their own safety. I remember watching him take off the cloak and wig to prove he was on the side of light. It was quite a sight. The boy was, dare I say, allergic to light, and yet, he fought so hard to maintain it. He was a powerful boy, and had a good stock of potions and elixers. We were lucky to find out munny could be converted to yen easily....

I met some of the kindest people in that city, and quite a few sparring partners. Some were better than I had ever seen. She said they were her friends, practicing in case the day ever came when they would need to fight for real. She said she practiced with one all the time, almost secretly. No one meddled with certain affairs of her life. She said her friends meddled with everything BUT that. I told her how that was how I am.

I've never seen a girl be happy about nosy men. Then again, I've never seen a girl like her.

She spoke often of her friends, all of them. They were so normal compared to the kinds of people I've seen. But they all were doing their best to keep their world from falling to darkness. It survived so long for that one reason. So many pure people doing their best to retain light. Skilled fighters training people to use their power to defend themselves. A duo designing battle gear, and giving away accessories that were hand-made, and full of defense, power, and strength. A 'prince' doing his best to keep people smiling and positive. A student researching matters of the heart and darkness at his own expense, doing his best to find a solution without losing himself in the process. A man determined to make as many curing products as possible to help people that shunned him. Yakuza leaders taking on the Heartless for their honour and to remain human. Girls that were determined to become mages full of magical power, and not another casualty. And herself. A warrior born from accidents. Her father and mother used to be fighters at one point, but they gave it up to be normal people.

I told her that's how my parents were. Just average people who gave birth to a hero. She understood completely. That's all we are, she said. Normal people thrown into surreal situations that we can barely comprehend.

I reminded her that it was the nature of things. I understand it now, even if at times it's hard to cope. It's hard leaving so many friends behind. I want to stay with everyone forever, but I know I can't do that. That's part of the keybearer's job. I'm supposed to restore peace and harmony, and never stay in one spot too long. It would disrupt world order...

She asked me about my friends, and I told her I've been searching for them for a while. She noted that it was just like she was about to do. She had a boy she had to find, as he was a Prince of Heart, they had said. I had never heard of such a thing. There were only the seven princesses, as far as I knew.

She told me he was newly formed. He had been in another world before he had ended up where she was. She smiled every time she said his name, and she seemed happiest talking about him, even when she brought up the mistake that brought them together as friends.

She didn't look like a boy at all, but that could've been Leon, Yuffie, and Aerith's doing. She and Leon had become fast friends, sitting on rooftops and talking, dueling, looking into creating a better Hollow Bastion. I felt like they had some private relationship, but he had Yuffie, and she had the 'prince'. She talked about how she changed parts of her appearance to remind her of her friends. She had changed her name too. Her last name was now that of the prince's, and her first was a combination of three names, all belonging to her friends. She had given me her real name, she promised that. But she held on to her new name to keep her friend's spirits alive in her, in case she lost sight of her goal.

I never had to worry about forgetting mine, and she didn't look like the kind that would forget either, but her life was different from mine. I didn't want to bring up memories she didn't want to remember. It would be unfair to her.

The sky in Hollow Bastion was eternally at sunset. I liked it that way. Twilight Town was the same, and I was sorry to have to leave that town. She didn't look as comfortable here. She talked about her homeworld often, as if she believed tomorrow it would be back, and that this wasn't as permanent as it really was. The sky reminded her that here wasn't home, but it would have to be for the time being.

I remember showing her the keychain I picked up in her world. It was a broken vase, intricately detailed for its size. It was called Commoner's Debt, and it was a favourite of mine. It increased strength and Lucky a bit more, just a little bit. Enough to make me rich from a small battle. She laughed at the name, not ever saying why, but holding the keychain as if she dropped it, it would break, and if it did, her heart would follow suit. She showed me her blade, and a few of her chains too. The one she was currently using was Pedigree, and she said it was like carrying home with her. The clock tower at the top had kept the time before the battle, but now it was stuck at 12:17am. She said Merlin had charmed it so that it counted down until she would be reunited with everyone. It had been ticking awfully slow recently as well. It had to go to midnight, and when it did, he swore she'd be back with the prince.

I was determined to help her, too. We had to cooperate to find our friends, because I knew Riku would do anything to help souls that had been dislocated. We'd been there before: No homeworld, and relying on the kindness of strangers. We were now the strangers who had to help.

I told her that as long as she wanted to fight, I'd fight with her. The gummi ship had enough room, right? She smiled at me, and she stood up on the rooftops, and looked to Ansem's palace. The clock changed to 12:18.

She didn't notice.

But the words she spoke next were few I'll remember for a while. She put her hand on my shoulder and grinned. "Sora, I'll stick with you until you find your friends too."

Haruhi Fujioka was a unique girl, but I was glad she was my ally in this war. I have no idea how she ended up here, and neither does she. All we know is that the two of us... we have to work together.

And we will, make no mistake about that.

**xoxo**

_**Another A/N: Lovely way to tie it up, no?**_

I do have the designs for Pedigree and Haruhi's new look. Commoner's Debt has only the keychain designed. If you'd like to see, or are just confused about certain elements (I know which ones in particular), you'll have to go through a series of trials that will test your stamina, will, strength, intelligence, and heart. You'll also have to refer to me as either Princess Julia or The Shadow Queen.

That, or you could review and/or PM and ask all sweet. And with proper grammar. Perhaps you could call me Princess Julia, anyway?

Like it, love it, hate it? Review it. Any word will make me happy. Seriously.

--J


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